Fun Fest seeking venue for fireworks

MAPLE PARK – Maple Park Fun Fest’s fireworks show might be in jeopardy this year if organizers can’t find a big enough space to set off the display.

The festival is set for Aug. 31 to Sept. 2. The fireworks show is slated for Sept. 1.

In previous years, the fireworks were staged in a partially developed subdivision, Squire’s Crossing, said Beth Miller, who does marketing and public relations for the festival.

The developer in past years had given festival organizers permission to set off fireworks from that location.

That agreement continued once a bank took ownership of the development, she said, and festival organizers were able to lease the property during the festival. But that space is not available this year because the bank is in the process of selling some of the properties, and a new contract prevents the bank from leasing space in the subdivision, Miller said.

“We’re trying to come up with different ideas,” she said about where the fireworks can be displayed this year. “It’s kind of funny that we’re in the middle of cornfields here, and we can’t find space.”

She said festival organizers are looking for a space that has at least a 350-foot clearance from any buildings. A space that’s at least 500 feet away from any buildings would be ideal.

“Then we can do the real big stuff if we have 500 feet,” she said.

Miller said organizers raised about $1,000 more than their $5,000 goal this year to purchase more fireworks to fill out the show, which usually lasts about a half-hour.

Miller said anyone who knows of space that could work should contact festival organizers by sending an email to mapleparkfunfest@yahoo.com or visiting the festival’s Facebook page.